Prix Vicomtesse Vigier

Turf race infobox
class = Group 2
horse race = Prix Vicomtesse Vigier


caption =
location = Longchamp Racecourse
Paris, France
inaugurated = 1859
race type = Thoroughbred - Flat race
website = [http://www.france-galop.com/All-the-races.233+M52087573ab0.0.html?&course_id=1532&no_cache=1&numero_id=103 France-Galop.com]
distance = 3,100 metres (1m 7½f)
track = Turf, right-handed
qualification = Four-years-old and up
weight = 56 kg
Allowances
1½ kg for fillies and mares
Penalties
2 kg for Group 1 winners *
1 kg for Group 2 winners *
* "since January 1 last year"
purse = €130,000 "(2008)"
Distribution
1st: 57%, 2nd: 22%
3rd: 10.5%, 4th: 7%
5th: 3.5%
bonuses = The Prix Vicomtesse Vigier is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds which are four-years-old or above. It is run over a distance of 3,100 metres (approximately 1 mile and 7½ furlongs) at Longchamp Racecourse, and it takes place annually in May.

It was first run in 1859 as the second of two races titled the Prix Biennal. The first, for three-year-olds only, had been created in 1858. Both races were re-named in 1940 as the Prix Jean Prat, in memory of Jean Prat, a leading French racehorse owner and breeder who died earlier that year. This version of the race for older horses was given its present title in 1985, while the version for three-year-olds continued as the Prix Jean Prat. The new title took the name of Vicomtesse Vigier, Madeleine Double de Saint-Lambert (1869–1970), the niece of Jean Prat who inherited his stable upon his death.

The race was originally run over a distance of 3,200 metres, which was cut to 3,000 metres in 1897. Three runnings of the race during World War II took place at Maisons-Laffitte, the first of which, in 1943, was contested over 3,100 metres. Otherwise the race continued at 3,000 metres until the present length was set in 1955.

It formerly served as a trial race for the Prix du Cadran, which used to be run several weeks later. But since 1991, when the latter race was moved to October, the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier has become the leading long distance race in France during the first half of the season.

Records

Leading jockey (6 wins):
* Yves Saint-Martin – "Cirio (1963), Danseur (1967), Zamazaan (1969), Paseo (1970), Recupere (1974), Buckskin (1977)"
* Freddy Head – "Hallez (1971), Midshipman (1978), Campero (1979), Gold River (1981), Starski (1982), Dadarissime (1993)"----Leading trainer (6 wins):
* Henry Jennings – "Tippler (1859), Light (1860), Fumee (1866), Cerdagne (1870), Revigny (1873), Mourle (1879)"----Leading owner (5 wins):
* Henri Delamarre – "Pauvre Here (1861), Angus (1862), Clotaire (1872), Boiard (1874), Clio (1883)"
* Marcel Boussac – "Marsyas (1944, 1945), Arbar (1948), Marveil (1950), Scratch (1951)"

Winners since 1980

Earlier winners

* 1859 - Tippler
* 1860 - Light
* 1861 - Pauvre Here
* 1862 - Angus
* 1863 - Grande Puissance
* 1864 - Guillaume le Taciturne
* 1865 - Fille de l'Air
* 1866 - Fumee
* 1867 - Fleurette
* 1868 - Nemea
* 1869 - Mortemer
* 1870 - Cerdagne
* 1871 - "no race"
* 1872 - Clotaire
* 1873 - Revigny
* 1874 - Boiard
* 1875 - Bieville
* 1876 - Solo
* 1877 - Mondaine
* 1878 - Jongleur
* 1879 - Mourle
* 1880 - Vignemale
* 1881 - Beauminet / Le Destrier *
* 1882 - Forum
* 1883 - Clio
* 1884 - Satory
* 1885 - Archiduc
* 1886 - Lapin
* 1887 - Alger
* 1888 - Brisolier
* 1889 - Galaor
* 1890 - Pourtant
* 1891 - Alicante
* 1892 - Gouverneur
* 1893 - Perdican
* 1894 - Lagrange
* 1895 - Canigou
* 1896 - Quelus
* 1897 -
* 1898 -

* 1899 - Riverain
* 1900 - Germain
* 1901 - Codoman
* 1902 -
* 1903 -
* 1904 -
* 1905 - Gouvernant
* 1906 - Genial
* 1907 - Querido
* 1908 - Elysee
* 1909 -
* 1910 - Oversight
* 1911 - Sablonnet
* 1912 - Joyeux
* 1913 - Predicateur
* 1914 - Nimbus
* 1915–18 - "no race"
* 1919 - Gave
* 1920 -
* 1921 - Odol
* 1922 - Harpocrate
* 1923 -
* 1924 - Massine
* 1925 - Cadum
* 1926 - Tomy
* 1927 - Bois Josselyn
* 1928 - Sachet
* 1929 - Kantar
* 1930 - Cabire
* 1931 - Amfortas
* 1932 - Dark Agnes
* 1933 -
* 1934 - Casterari
* 1935 - Admiral Drake
* 1936 - Quorn
* 1937 - Fantastic
* 1938 - Malkowicze
* 1939 - Messines
* 1940 - Birikil
* 1941 - Maurepas

* 1942 -
* 1943 - Tornado
* 1944 - Marsyas
* 1945 - Marsyas
* 1946 - Chanteur II
* 1947 -
* 1948 - Arbar
* 1949 - Espace Vital
* 1950 - Marveil
* 1951 - Scratch
* 1952 - Mat de Cocagne
* 1953 - Feu du Diable
* 1954 - Savoyard
* 1955 - Banassa
* 1956 - Polar
* 1957 - Oroso
* 1958 - Vacarme
* 1959 - Wallaby
* 1960 - Bel Baraka
* 1961 - Puissant Chef
* 1962 -
* 1963 - Cirio
* 1964 - Celadon
* 1965 - White Label
* 1966 - Alyscamps
* 1967 - Danseur
* 1968 - Pardallo
* 1969 - Zamazaan
* 1970 - Paseo
* 1971 - Hallez
* 1972 - Parnell
* 1973 - Parnell
* 1974 - Recupere
* 1975 - Le Bavard
* 1976 - Citoyen
* 1977 - Buckskin
* 1978 - Midshipman
* 1979 - Campero

* The 1881 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

References

* [http://www.france-galop.com/All-the-races.233+M52087573ab0.0.html?&course_id=1532&no_cache=1&numero_id=103 France-Galop.com]
* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/index.php?search_bar=stakes&query_type=stakes&field=view&id=285 PedigreeQuery.com]
* Racing Post:
** [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=90389&r_date=1988-4-24 1988] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=94576&r_date=1989-4-30 1989] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=98977&r_date=1990-4-29 1990] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=104343&r_date=1991-5-26 1991] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=109079&r_date=1992-5-24 1992] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=114094&r_date=1993-5-23 1993] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=119167&r_date=1994-5-22 1994] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=124506&r_date=1995-5-21 1995] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=204041&r_date=1996-5-19 1996] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=239436&r_date=1997-5-18 1997]
** [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=252665&r_date=1998-5-17 1998] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=268252&r_date=1999-5-23 1999] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=282509&r_date=2000-5-21 2000] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=301893&r_date=2001-5-20 2001] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=317513&r_date=2002-5-19 2002] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=333879&r_date=2003-5-18 2003] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=353236&r_date=2004-5-23 2004] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=386349&r_date=2005-5-22 2005] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=410214&r_date=2006-5-21 2006] , [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=434082&r_date=2007-5-20 2007]
** [http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/result.sd?&race_id=458979&r_date=2008-5-18 2008]
* "galop.courses-france.com:"
** [http://galop.courses-france.com/plat/courses/Prix-Vicomtesse-Vigier-1859-1889.php 1859-1889] , [http://galop.courses-france.com/plat/courses/Prix-Vicomtesse-Vigier-1890-1919.php 1890-1919] , [http://galop.courses-france.com/plat/courses/Prix-Vicomtesse-Vigier-1920-1949.php 1920-1949] , [http://galop.courses-france.com/plat/courses/Prix-Vicomtesse-Vigier-1950-1979.php 1950-1979] , [http://galop.courses-france.com/plat/courses/Prix-Vicomtesse-Vigier-1980-2009.php 1980-present]

ee also

* List of French flat horse races
* " – the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier is included under its original title, Prix Biennal."